DIY Belt Grinder Build Questions

I suggest you not glue or epoxy the glass to the platen. I use indoor/outdoor carpet double sided tape. I have had a few glass platen crack or break and changing them is a pain, oh and they will wear. I just use acetone to flip them over, and get double the use. They won’t go any where with the tape and the bottom ledge.
CH
 
I suggest you not glue or epoxy the glass to the platen. I use indoor/outdoor carpet double sided tape. I have had a few glass platen crack or break and changing them is a pain, oh and they will wear. I just use acetone to flip them over, and get double the use. They won’t go any where with the tape and the bottom ledge.
CH

+1

I used 3m automotive double sided tape. Works great and no mess.


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I've seen conflicting reports between JB Weld and carpet tape. What to do???
 
My first glass platen went 11 years before it let go from the backing plate and that happened only because my belt snapped and I assume it smacked that platen pretty good and knocked it loose. 11 years without a hitch, and it took a fair amount of abuse in my shop. I've seen guys on youtube mount platen liners with tape and RTV silicon and that's fine, their machine and their risk. For myself, I'll use JB Weld. I don't know if it is better or worse but I know what I'm comfortable with.

As far as I know, the vast majority of knife makers who use glass platens use JB Weld or some other epoxy, at least unless things have changed.
 
I used JB Weld and it seems to be on there for good! I'm hoping I never need to remove it. It took a lot more of the epoxy than I thought. I kept making up more and more of it. But, it's done!



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As I have stated before, I don’t understand the glass platen need, I used numerous belt sanders/grinders, for years, with numerous machines (burr-King, Jancy and a few others, on a 40/hr a week basis. I’ve never had an issue with the platen wearing, belt overheating or belt life issues. My Burr-King is 30+ yrs old, it still has the original platen, some bearings and a motor, have been replaced.
 
As I have stated before, I don’t understand the glass platen need, I used numerous belt sanders/grinders, for years, with numerous machines (burr-King, Jancy and a few others, on a 40/hr a week basis. I’ve never had an issue with the platen wearing, belt overheating or belt life issues. My Burr-King is 30+ yrs old, it still has the original platen, some bearings and a motor, have been replaced.
You are fortunate to have a good grinder with a quality steel platen. I was not as fortunate. Mine wore out in a few months. My belt was only 2 inches wide and grinding 3/8" HSS or cobalt in a localized area did cause wear. My platen was cast steel, not a quality steel. I milled out a pocket and JB Welded in a glass platen. It wasn't hard to do and gave better grinding results. Sample of one.
 
I personally use RTV silicone for my glass platen with a small ledge welded at the bottom to keep it from being forced downward. I see it as being similar to a laminated glass windshield, where even if I crack the glass, (I'm hoping) the shards stay stuck until I want them to come off. Short of that, a more flexible epoxy like west system g/flex makes more sense to me.
 
Next step- get some of the green zirconia belts. Check Red Label Abrasives.
Robert
 
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